The Koban and Glasses

The Koban is the Police Cabin.  There is one in most neighbourhoods, usually at a busy intersection.  This one is in Futakatamagawa. I love the police bike parked out the front and the floral display.  Best of all I love the glasses that can be seen in the close up, ready for visually challenged clients - so helpful - so Japanese.

Sunday Kimono - 1

Sunday seems to be the day to wear kimonos.  The textures and designs and fabric are divine.  I stalk kimono wearing ladies on the streets.  Here are some photos!

Gingko Kimono

Kimono fabrics are a work of art.  I loved this one, in a department store in Ginza, with a print of golden ginko leaves.

Volcanoes

Volcanoes from the air.  I flew to Bangkok last weekend (for a conference).  The flight along the east coast of Japan was amazing.  First Mt Fuji out of the window, then later the caldera of several volcanoes on the southern island of Kyushu.  

Safe Streets

Walking back to the apartment in the evenings from the train station I always  feel safe.  There are usually other people on the street too.

Tuesday Towers - Skytree and Lanterns

Tokyo Skytree is a broadcasting and observation in the north of Tokyo.  Last month I watched the Toro-Nagashi -lantern floating festival - on Sumida river near Tokyo Skytree.

Stalking School Children

Yesterday statues of school children, today photos of young school girls.  They carry randoseru and the formal uniforms similar to those worn by the girl in the statue.

School Children

Statue of school children in the Ginza/ Tsukiji area.  The style was both old fashioned and familiar.  Student still carry these bags called randonseru and wear similar hats.  Girls have skirts and the boys shorts.

A magical slide

Watch the video (if possible ) of the digital images changing as people go down the slide. Great fun and amazing experience at Teamlab Borderless.

Magical Cup of Tea

This is cup of green tea - with a blossoming flower - all part of an amazing experience at the Mori Team Lab Borderless Digital Art Exhibition that I visited on Sunday.  The flower changed colour and shape and size as the level of the tea dropped.
Look at the video - I hope it works -for the full magic.

Food Halls

Department store food halls in Tokyo are a gourmet delight, with savoury and sweet delights and food treated as a work of art.

Tonight I explored the Tokyu Food Hall at the local Futakatamagawa Mall and bought food for dinner.  Baked eggplant with miso from a stall with an autumnal feel, for 500 YEN (approx $7AUD) and 100g of an avocado and broccoli salad for about the same amount - that is a small, expensive, but tasty salad!

Sweeping

After Typhoon Faxai the streets were littered with leaves.  It was a family affair with young and old were out sweeping them up.

Typhoon Faxai

Typhoon Faxai battered Tokyo on Sunday night.  There was some serious damage - mainly in Chiba- the area closest to the coast.  The wind was incredible and the windows and walls of my apartment were rattling and shaking.  Next morning I went for a cycle through nearby Kinuta Park to find the trail littered with leaves and many downed branches.  We had the day off school as a "Typhoon Day" as public transport was in chaos.

Tuesday Towers - Tokyo Tower for TELL

Sunday  I climbed 600 stairs up Tokyo Tower in just under 8 minutes as part of as Seisen team for  the TELL Tokyo Tower Climb. TELL is an English language counselling service and the event was to raise funds for their work and to raise awareness of Suicide in Japan.
The fastest team member was up in 4 1/2 minutes and the winner took only 2 1/2 minutes. However the Seisen team one the award for the school that raised the most money.

Crepe Myrtle in Yoga

The main streets in Yoga (suburb where the school is located) hare lined with crepe myrtle trees.  They are in blossom at the moment and look very elegant.

PS Love the Policeman on his bike in the bottom photo - just in front of the taxi.

Stone fruit

Stone fruit are in season and I really wanted to try the peaches and plums in the local supermarket,
BUT I couldn't face unwrapping them from the plastic. Also it was about 680 YEN ( approx $9.50 AUD) for two peaches and I thought they may not survive the trip home in my back pack on the bike!!

Rainy afternoon in Yoga

A grey afternoon today. When it rains the umbrellas are up and people wear their rain ponchos, especially the kids on the back of bicycles.

Sleepy diner

This fellow struggled to stay awake while eating at the local Izakaya (informal Japanese pub) on Saturday night.

Tuesday Towers - Pyongyang

In Seoul we went up Seoul Tower for a 360 view over the city.  The population density was amazing.    The windows had directional signs to international cities including Sydney and Pyongyang.  This group of Chinese women spent along time posing for photos and selfies in front of the Pyongyang window.

Japanese and Hats

What is it with Japanese and hats?  They seem to like berets and other hats. At a rooftop bar on Friday night (for a colleague's birthday) the Japanese patrons were all wearing hats.  Maybe it was a theme party or maybe just the trend.